Good for the heart: Marriage leads to lower risk of heart disease

Is it true that love heals all wounds? A new study shows that married couples have a lower risk of heart disease compared to those who are not married.

Researchers at New York University's Langone Medical Center studied more than 3.5 million people, and discovered that married couples experience less heart disease compared to those who are single, divorced, or widowed, reports Fox News.

Researchers studied both young and old patients, and made sure to screen for other factors that could negatively contribute to heart health, such as obesity and smoking.

The Associated Press notes that the researchers do not know how long couples have been married, or how long someone has been divorced or widowed.

The study is the largest of its kind and more extensive than those in the past. Plus, the findings could potentially change the idea that marriage is harmful to your health, as some previous studies have concluded.

Fox News reports that Dr. Carlos Alviar of NYU believes that a supportive partner is key to heart health. "People who have a spouse might be more compliant with medical appointments, screening processes, more compliant with medications and a healthy lifestyle as opposed to people who are by themselves," he said.

Interestingly, there might be some medical truth to the common "heartsick" or "brokenhearted" phrases used when a relationship ends in turmoil. “While people who were divorced had higher odds of any vascular disease, particularly aortic and cerebrovascular, people who were widowed had the highest odds for coronary and lower extremity disease,” Alviar said.